by theygamesLet’s be honest, we all play videogames to escape. Whether it’s the sprawling plains of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Faerun or the smoking, radioactive ruins of Fallout New Vegas’ Mojave, exploring vast worlds that feel greater (or deadlier) than our own is why we all boot up our PCs in the first place. But there’s no greater galaxy to explore than George Lucas’, and that’s what Star Wars Outlaws is all about. After the recent round of press previews, however, it seems like spectacular visuals are doing a lot of heavy lifting to offset some rough gameplay. While some have been quick to criticize Outlaws as a result, I’m not so sure.
It’s no secret that I wasn’t impressed when I played Star Wars Outlaws at Summer Game Fest. Ubisoft’s latest felt heavily railroaded, and when I veered off the beaten track in an attempt to explore the expansive galaxy Outlaws is promising, I was asked to turn back. I never really got to do the ‘open-world’ part of the “first open-world Star Wars game.”
The latest round of Outlaws previews, however, let you loose into the galaxy far, far away, with Jack Ridsale taking the coveted speeder for a spin through the canyons of Toshara on our behalf, and experiencing all of what the snow-covered Kijimi has to offer – alleyways included. While he praises the game’s visuals, he notes that the “movements aren’t as fluid as that of a Nathan Drake or a Lara Croft,” echoing my sentiment that Outlaws plays like a “discount Uncharted.”
It’s a feeling that’s evident across a variety of previews: the game looks gorgeous, but it’s not always great to play. That was initially a real dealbreaker for me, but as I’ve sat and pondered the point, I find myself questioning whether or not rough gameplay alone makes this one a write-off.
I’m a bit of a closeted Star Wars fan, you see. I’ve got adorable Grogu towels in my bathroom, but you’ll never find me dropping by my local card store to play Star Wars Unlimited. For me, the exciting thing about Star Wars is its limitlessness and variety; there are space witches, there’s the Sith, and myriad adorable creatures great and small to enjoy.
Outlaws is hoping to do the exact same thing, and from the wider previews I’ve seen, it achieves that goal. It looks beautiful and, most importantly, feels authentically Star Wars. The space combat is fluid and fun, framed by some of the most spectacular interstellar environments I’ve ever seen (sorry, Starfield), and the in-game shooting aims to channel developer Massive Entertainment’s The Division credentials. If the essence of Star Wars is about exploring worlds so alien yet familiar, Outlaws looks like it’s got that down perfectly.
Now does that sense of wonder and magic excuse somewhat rocky traversal? No. Does it make up for the bizarre facial animations and guns dropping mid-cutscene? No. Does it account for that viral IGN clip of NPCs standing around doing nothing? No. Those are issues that really need to be ironed out ahead of launch. From what I’ve played, the gameplay is passable, and perhaps that’s enough.
But Outlaws isn’t going to be game of the year; it lacks the majesty of an Elden Ring or the intricate storytelling of a Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s a summer popcorn single-player game built for the widest possible audience. Perfecting or pushing the limits of its genre isn’t exactly on Outlaws’ mind.
Expectations are high these days, made higher by behemoths like BG3, and while that’s a good thing, Outlaws is a different beast and does what it sets out to do: create a playable galactic sandbox for Star Wars fans to live out their exploration fantasy. It’s a little rough around the edges, like the movies and characters themselves, and – for me – that’s okay. Polishing Star Wars feels at odds with its very essence, so as long as the performance doesn’t tank or the wheels don’t fall off, I can see myself having a good ol’ time with Star Wars Outlaws.